Longing for simplicity.

DMV, MyFTB, AAA, PG&E & Me.

I’m looking through papers for something (another piece of paper). While searching, it hits me how many papers and subscriptions and bills and responsibilities we have in regular life. Does it have to be so?

Real life is far more complicated than fiction. — Asif Kapadia

Here’s a scattering of what’s on my floor as I go through papers. It’s nothing earth shattering, unless you’re a hobbit (which I’m thinking about at this point):

Papers

Property taxes

Car insurance

Home insurance

Internet

Car registration

Car parking permit

Please donate to: St. Jude’s,

Water & sewer

Electricity

Trash collection

Car repair receipt

W2 form

1099-MISC forms

Ads for different car insurance

Ads for other Internet providers

That’s just what’s on the floor. Who knows what I’ve been trying to get to be paperless. I’ve been signing up for anything and everything paperless that will allow it. I even spent a half hour on a website for, maybe it was the water company, trying to go paperless when I finally gave up.

Maybe I yearn for a life of fiction? A life between the pages of a book where characters have only their moment in front of them to be concerned with. They don’t have cable bills and expiration of your MyFTP account (don’t worry, it will expire and then you renew–it’s simple).

While traveling, we carry a backpack, a passport and a credit card (and cash). A few other things. I suppose we have travel insurance.

It just hit me: this is what it means to be a responsible adult. Note to kids and dogs: enjoy it while it lasts.